Melee
by Lightning-Strike
Summary: A girl is on the run from Team Rocket, but with all the stuff that happens to her, will she be able to stay alive at all?
1. Prologue: Weeping Lilies

Okay, here's the deal. Pokémon is NOT mine. That's the simple thing. However, the main characters in the story ARE mine. Is that confusing? I hope not. Anyway, does that work for you? Great. Well, let's get this show on the road! Now, where did I put that bowl of popcorn...  
  
Weeping Lilies  
  
"Now what am I going to do?" a girl asked as she traveled a steep mountain path. She wore black jeans, a black shirt with a red R on the front, and black tennis shoes. Her jet-black hair whipped around her shoulders as the wind howled around her. Her frightened, tired teal eyes carefully scanned the surrounding rock face. She carried a moderately sized red satchel, the contents of which were carefully arranged at the bottom for protection. Above her head were deep black rain clouds, clouds loaded with rain.and lightning.  
  
"If I stay out during the storm, I'll get hit by lightning," she mused. "But if I find shelter They might find me. So, do I risk getting caught or do I risk getting killed?" She pondered this question as she edged her way along the ever-narrowing trail. "Well, I'm dead either way, but I think I'd rather go with the more painless death. I keep moving." That decided, she extended her arms and began to walk over a natural rock bridge that crossed the expanse of a deep crevasse.  
  
The gorge was more than a hundred feet deep with chalk-white walls. The thin bridge she walked across was almost ready to crumble, or so it felt as she walked across. It was made of granite, hard and gray. As she came to the middle, the thinnest section, she faltered slightly. Her arms pin wheeled, and she tried to lean forward.  
  
Just as it seemed certain that she would make it back to the safety of the bridge, a bolt of lightning raced down from the clouds. It hit the overpass almost halfway between her and the side she was so desperate to reach. Both of her feet touched the steady granite of the bridge and she ran as fast as she could toward the now rapidly crumbling section.  
  
Then she was sure she felt the rock trembling beneath her. She glanced quickly behind her and nearly tripped. Looking ahead again, she saw the huge cracks in the granite overpass  
  
"It wasn't balanced!" she moaned to herself. As the first hunks of rock fell into the abyss, she jumped. She watched in horror as the slabs of granite slipped away, too quickly. The only thing that saved her from falling into the ravine was her left hand. It reached out and grabbed part of the remaining ledge, gripping tight to it.  
  
"Oh...my...gosh," she whispered as beads of sweat formed on her forehead. Her right hand hung by her side, still clinging to her bag. Not for anything would she release that satchel. She carefully began to raise it toward the edge. Then her breath caught in her chest and her heart dropped like a stone. The rock her left hand clung to was crumbling beneath her fingers. She closed her eyes as the piece of granite came loose and she began to fall.  
  
She did about the only thing she could think of: she flipped in midair so that she could see what she would hit before it hit her, or vice versa. She opened her eyes, and what she saw made her breath catch again. A huge marble-white ledge was looming toward her. Her mind went blank, save one thought that decided to present itself to her otherwise frozen mind.  
  
To think she thought as she stared at the rock face, if I had some spectral glasses this would all turn out blue shifted. She hit the rock at that very instant, the wind knocked out of her. Sharp, jagged pain raced through her chest and head, then it all dulled, dimmed, and faded. Her mind lapsed into black as the rain began to pour down on her.  
  
From above a person on a Pokémon watched her. The lightning ripped through the sky again, casting the whole form in shadow. The flying Pokémon coasted down to the girl, and the lightning struck again as the figure leapt off the creature. Thunder rumbled in the clouds as they looked down at her, and as it faded the person roughly picked her up, causing her to cry out in pain. The person, a mere shadow it seemed, almost dropped the girl, then, more gently, hoisted her onto the flying Pokémon. As the creature took off, a bolt of lightning crashed down into the canyon, illuminating a sea of white lilies at the bottom. As the rain dripped down the curved cream petals, it gave them the appearance of weeping.  
  
Well, whaddya think? I don't know what I was thinking when I was writing this, but I did it. Forgive me, this is the first story I've put on F.F.net.  
  
In case you were wondering about that thing she was thinking, it's called the Doppler shift. When an object is moving away from you, all the colors you see are shifted toward the left (or red) end of the color spectrum. Vice versa when an object is moving toward you. Of course, you need some spectral glasses or a special kind of computer to see that.  
  
Well, if you want more (do you?), just give me some reviews. If you do, I'll introduce some new characters, and tell you this girl's name.  
  
Well, that's about it! Talk to you later! 


	2. Share and Share Alike

1 Pokémon is not mine. That pretty much covers it. Aww, we're out of chocolate chip cookies.  
  
2  
  
3 Share and Share Alike  
  
"Uunhh," the girl muttered as she woke up.  
  
"Are you finally awake?" an annoyed voice asked. As she slowly opened her eyes she saw a boy standing over her. His light brown hair fell over his eyes, deep brown eyes that flashed with the concern his voice lacked. He wore pale blue jeans and a long sleeve ocean blue shirt, though she couldn't really understand why. The dull throbbing in her head and chest inhibited her movements greatly. She groaned again and closed her eyes once more.  
  
"Why couldn't I just be dead?" she asked herself, shaking her head slowly. She was met by a hard pounding.  
  
"You really don't want to be dead, I assure you," the boy replied, his voice a bit gentler, but still retaining that sharp, biting edge to it. "This could all have been avoided if you had just used your Pokémon, you know," he said, irritated at nothing.  
  
"I don't have any," she whispered. The boy looked down at her, startled.  
  
"What do you mean you don't have any?" he asked.  
  
"I let them all go," she replied quietly. The boy sighed.  
  
"Well, I have two questions for you. One: Why in the world would you release all your Pokémon? And two: What's your name?" the boy asked, sorry for the exasperated tone of his voice. She must feel like some kind of idiot by the way I'm talking to her. Actually, she had been smarter than most people, and he knew it. If she had stayed facing the sky her spine would have snapped from the impact of the ledge.  
  
"I couldn't stand using my Pokémon the way I was," she replied. "I let them go so that they might be found by better trainers than me. My name is." she cut off there, moaning in pain. The boy reached out quickly and gently rubbed her temples. Her cry faded, but her breath was still slightly ragged.  
  
"Still hurts, huh?" he asked. This time he knew his voice lacked the edge it usually had. He thought back to how he had ended up in this situation in the first place. After he and his Pidgeot, Arrow, had picked her up during the storm he had looked out for a place to stay until the storm let up. That was how he found the interlocking network of caves where the two of them were now.  
  
Even before he had made the fire that even now warmed the space around them, he had wrapped her in some dry blankets. His father, a doctor, had taught him some different tricks, just in case they came in handy on a trainer's journey. Over the past few days that he had taken care of the strange girl with no name he had figured out exactly what it was that pained her.  
  
"You'll probably want something to eat," he said, trying for all he was worth to sound at least slightly cheerful. Of course, what was there to be cheerful about? It was pouring rain outside and the cave was very damp, a danger to the girl's already fragile health. There was too little food even for him, although there was an abundance of fresh water.  
  
"Not really," she replied weakly. She wasn't in the least bit hungry, but her throat was dry as a desert.  
  
"You have to at least have something to drink," he said firmly.  
  
"Okay," came her meek reply. That worried him for some reason. He didn't like to hear girls talk like that. They sounded too innocent for anyone to be safe around them. He pulled a clean, durable cup from his orange backpack.  
  
Oh, how he had BEGGED his parents to get rid of that backpack. They refused, saying that since it had belonged to his sister when she went on her trainer journey he could use it, too. It may have been tacky, but it was better than the one he had wanted. The pockets were large enough to carry far more than the average maximum capacity of a backpack.  
  
He carefully stood up, careful not to disturb his 'companion'. A small hole in the roof of the little cave let in a stream of fresh water, probably from a real spring above them. It was plausible, since the two of them were almost a mile underground. He held the mug beneath the stream, waiting patiently for it to fill. The girl coughed and he looked over at her. She was very pale, and she had a slight fever. He hoped she wouldn't catch the flu. A cold he could handle. The flu was on his dad's ground. He felt the ice-cold water running over his hand and looked back at the cup. It was now overflowing. He pulled it out from under the rivulet and poured some of the water out. Then he walked back to the girl.  
  
He raised her head slightly and held the mug to her lips. Slowly tipping the cup forward, the water poured into her mouth. She swallowed all that he gave her, giving him a bit of reassurance.  
  
"Think you can tell me your name now?" he asked gently.  
  
"It's Mare, but most of the people I know call me Mêlée," she replied, her voice soft with shame. He could understand why.  
  
On his trainer journey he had fought many Team Rocket trainers, and after each battle they said that 'Mêlée' would avenge them. He had thought that Mêlée was a super-strong Pokémon, not a person, and definitely not a girl.  
  
"I've heard of you," he said, and he bit his tongue. His tone was accusing, he knew by the way Mare flinched. "My name's Zeke."  
  
"I know you," she said, laughing slightly. "The people at Team Rocket used to complain night and day about you."  
  
"You're a Team Rocket member?" he asked, even though he already knew that answer. He was wary now that he knew her true identity.  
  
"Was," she replied, her tone now proud. "I left because I never liked the way I was made to treat my Pokémon and other Pokémon. I just need to find a decent change of clothes and I can forget all about Team Rocket. That and a good hiding place."  
  
"They're after you? To kill you?" he asked. She nodded. Of all things, Zeke hadn't thought the rumor about Team Rocket killing defectors was true. Shaking these dismal thoughts from his head, he said, "You'd best get some more sleep. It's still raining out, so we'll probably be holed up in here for a while longer. When it stops we'd best get moving again."  
  
"Okay," she murmured, and her head slipped slightly to the side as she fell back asleep.  
  
"A Team Rocket renegade," he muttered.  
  
"Quill?" a voice asked. He looked down and saw Cinders, his Quilava, watching him.  
  
"Hey, Cinders, you remember Team Rocket," he said, bending down and stroking the Pokémon's silky fireproof fur. "Those guys in black with the big red R on their shirts." His Pokémon's fur began to blaze up as it looked at Mare.  
  
"No, Cinders, she's not a Team Rocket member. She's a renegade, a person who left Team Rocket."  
  
The Quilava calmed down slightly, but was still on guard, as though saying, "There're others on the way here, aren't there?"  
  
"I hope not," Zeke whispered, glancing back at Mare. She was fast asleep, her breathing deep and regular. Her rook black hair was fanned across the makeshift pillow he had crafted.  
  
Cinders rubbed its head against Zeke's hand, as though saying, "You and me both." 


	3. Ambush

1 Pokémon isn't mine. Simple as that. Have fun, now! Ooohhh, snicker- doodles…  
  
2  
  
3 Ambush  
  
Two days later, and Zeke's worst fear had come true. Mare had come down with the flu. He knew he shouldn't be worrying about Team Rocket renegades, but something about her caught him. Maybe it was the ebony hair that framed her pale face, or maybe it was just that her condition was so fragile and she needed someone to help her. Or maybe it was something different all together. He didn't know.  
  
"Zeke…" she murmured. He looked over, checking if she was truly awake of if she was just talking in her sleep again. He was strangely touched by the fact that she called him in her subconscious. This time she was really coming out of her sleep.  
  
"What is it, Mare?" he asked calmly. She didn't talk much, mostly because he shushed her if she talked a lot.  
  
"Sorry to be such a trouble to you," she said quietly.  
  
"Hey, this isn't any trouble to me. It's still raining outside anyway, so I couldn't do much else even if I wanted to," he replied, trying to make the mood in the cave a bit brighter. What he said was true. It was still raining above them, and there wasn't much he could do in a rainstorm. Besides, she still needed his help. He couldn't just turn her away, could he?  
  
He filled a cup with water from the steadily growing stream flowing through the roof of their cave. He brought it over to her and raised her head again. Mare reached up and felt the cup, holding it as she drank from it. Zeke still didn't let go, just for safety. As she finished he lowered her head back to the pillow and stepped away.  
  
"Where's Beacon?" Mare muttered. Zeke looked over at her. She had asked that question a few times over the past few days, usually before or after she asked for him. But what was 'Beacon'? Was it a signal or a Pokémon?  
  
"What is Beacon, Mare?" he asked.  
  
"Ampharos, Beacon, come back," she mumbled. Zeke hadn't expected her to answer at all. Usually when he asked her that question he was met by silence. "Why'd they take her?" she asked. "And Tyrant. Where'd he go? Mega, Growlie, Quagmire, Whisper, all of them gone."  
  
"Who're they?" he asked. He hoped she would answer again.  
  
"Tyrant, Larvitar, Mega, Bayleef, Growlie, Growlithe, Quagmire, Quagsire, Whisper, Espeon. They took them away," Mare whispered.  
  
"Were they your original Pokémon?" Zeke asked. She shook her head, a tear in her eye. "Why are you crying? It must have been years ago that they took them," he chided, then bit his tongue. He shouldn't be hard on her, she was sick. He could lecture her when she felt better.  
  
"Two months," she murmured, then groaned in pain. Zeke hurried over and checked her breathing. It was a bit irregular, but not harsh enough to be of much concern to him, or of much trouble to her.  
  
"I really wish I could take you to my dad," he said to her. He must have told her that twenty times in the past week. He waited for her familiar reply.  
  
"Why? You're doing just fine taking care of me. I really must be a bother if you want to dump me on your dad," she said, laughing quietly. He laughed right along with her. That response was like his way of knowing she was truly all right for the time. When she didn't give him that answer, Zeke knew it really was time to take Mare to his dad.  
  
Suddenly Fluff, his Flaaffy, came rolling in through one of the curving tunnels leading to the surface.  
  
"What's up, Fluff?" he asked the panting creature.  
  
"FLAAAAFFYYY!!!" the Pokémon answered. Mare's eyes shot open and she sat up quickly, crying out in pain as the dull throbbing in her head became a hard pounding.  
  
"Mare, lay back down," Zeke said, trying to push her back. She was just staring at the Flaaffy.  
  
"They are here!?" she asked worriedly, ignoring the hammering in her head and the painful spikes that shot through her chest. The Pokémon nodded anxiously, and she pushed the blanket off her and stood up. She was slightly shaky, but Zeke could suddenly see why she had been called Mêlée. The look in her eyes was invigorating, a look that said she was ready to fight and win. A bit of color had returned to her pale face, and she now looked like a powerful trainer, not an eleven-year-old girl sick with the flu.  
  
"Zeke," she said firmly. Her tone commanded attention, and he was instantly hanging on every word. Her teal eyes held a look of insane happiness and even more insane risks only she was daring enough to take. "Take your Pokémon and get out of here. If Team Rocket wants me they can have me."  
  
"You can't!" he shouted, standing in front of her. "It's suicide!"  
  
"And?" she asked. She was totally fearless, something he never would have thought of her. "I don't want you getting hurt. Besides, if I don't give myself up they're going to hurt Beacon and the rest of my Pokémon friends."  
  
"How do you know they have your Pokémon with them!? And how will they know you were even here if we leave!?" he asked.  
  
"Sorry, Zeke. I'm not running anymore." With that, Mare stepped toward one of the tunnels. Her stride was long and confident, ready to fight whatever awaited her outside the caves. As she neared the passage she was enveloped in electricity. Crying in intense pain, she collapsed to the ground.  
  
"No, I'm sorry, Mare," Zeke whispered as the sparks of electricity surrounding Fluff dispelled. With incredible speed, he packed up the entire area, fitting everything into the orange backpack. Looking toward the corner of the cave, he saw the red satchel Mare had been carrying. He strode over to it and picked it up. Then he walked over to the girl lying on the floor. Very gently he picked her up, resting her head against his shoulder.  
  
"Now you have to be very quiet if we're gonna make it out of here," he whispered to her. She whimpered softly in reply, and with that Zeke walked down one of the tunnels, Fluff leading the way. 


	4. Beacon's Return

1 Okay, I know that there are lots of other fics out there that are probably much better than this, so thank you for reading. I do not own Pokémon, unless you count the 251 in my Silver version. Well, the niceness factor goes down from here. Read on. Now, where'd those pretzels get to…  
  
2  
  
3 Beacon's Return  
  
A bright glow came around the curve in the tunnel. The sphere on Fluff's tail was glowing bright blue, something Zeke was nervous about. What if there was a Team Rocket member on his way down this tunnel and saw the light?  
  
"Put me down," Mare murmured. She wasn't struggling against him, but her tone was still that of Mêlée, the commanding voice of the trainer with no evidence of illness.  
  
"You know I can't do that," he mumbled as he followed Fluff, trying for all he was worth not to make a sound while stalking across the stone ground. Mêlée was silent once more, and Zeke thought she had fallen asleep.  
  
"Listen," Mare whispered. At first he thought it was just an echo, but the sound came again, louder and more insistent this time. "Listen."  
  
"Fluff, lights out," he muttered to his Pokémon. The light immediately shut off. As he and his Pokémon backed up against the wall they heard the hard soles of a pair of boots clacking their way toward them. In the total darkness of the passage no one could see anything.  
  
"All right, if your trainer isn't here it's curtains for you, Ampharos," a boy's voice said from the direction they were heading. Zeke heard Mare's breath quicken, then felt her take a deep breath.  
  
"BEACON!!" she shouted. The echoes of her voice rang through the tunnel, and Zeke heard a Pokéball burst open. He felt a bead of sweat slip down the side of his head, but remained perfectly still. Mare wasn't moving at all. They saw a slight spark of white light, then both heard the Rocket shout. Less than a second after something made contact with the opposite wall.  
  
A few moments later, a soft, deep blue light slowly filled the dark of the channel. Zeke looked up…and up…and up, and finally saw the face of the Ampharos. The large blue jewel on its forehead lightly touched the ceiling. In a quick height estimation, he had to say that the creature was at least eight feet tall. Fluff would only make it to about half that height when it evolved.  
  
"Beacon," Mare whispered. The Ampharos lowered its head and looked at her head on. The jewel on its forehead turned a pale yellow as it nuzzled her cheek. Mare flung her arms around her Pokémon's neck, and it began to emit a low hum of happiness. The light shining from its tail still remained that soft royal blue, just bright enough so that they could see each other.  
  
Zeke looked over at the Team Rocket member slumped against the other wall. He had been easily knocked out by Beacon's powerful tail swipe. Then he felt Mare being lifted from his arms. He looked up and saw Beacon now holding the girl, her arms still wrapped tightly around the Ampharos's neck.  
  
Then the creature looked at him. It had the same teal eyes that Mare had. It uttered a soft cry, one that rose and fell in pitch. It seemed to form words.  
  
"Willl yyyou helllpp uss?" it asked.  
  
"What!?" he exclaimed. A hissing escaped from the Ampharos and he fell silent. "You can talk!?" he asked more quietly.  
  
"Ssslightlyyy" Beacon replied. "Mmmaree wasss ssstilll teeeachinnnng usss wwwhen Teeeam Rrrockett ssssepparrrated usss fffrom herrr."  
  
"This is unbelievable," Zeke whispered.  
  
"Sssoo, willl yyyou helllp uss?" it asked again.  
  
Zeke nodded, soundlessly mouthing the words, "I will." Beacon nodded a thank-you and began to walk down the passage, Zeke and Fluff following.  
  
The Ampharos kept her head lowered to keep from bumping it against the roof of the tunnel. It also served to protect her trainer from the water falling from all around them. Mare was trembling in her arms, but the girl's grip was sure.  
  
"Beacon, don't leave again," she murmured. Carefully the Pokémon curved her neck inward and touched Mare's forehead with her snout.  
  
I knew something was wrong when I saw her in that boy's arms Beacon thought. She must have the flu. She always was teetering on the edge of health and sickness. Naturally fair skinned, tried to avoid black if she could, and here she is wearing the whole outfit. I couldn't believe it when I heard she ran away.  
  
"Umm, excuse me, Beacon?" the boy asked. She merely hummed in acknowledgement. "Aren't we going the wrong way?" he asked timidly. Of all things, the Ampharos hated was talking for anyone other than her trainer.  
  
"Wwwee havvvee to helllp tttheee otttherrrss" she replied.  
  
"Well, that answered my question," the boy said. "By the way, my name's Zeke."  
  
"Zzzeeke."  
  
Already they could hear echoes coming from up ahead. Beacon dimmed her taillight and slowed her pace until it was dark all around. "Tttaaake hoollld off mmyyy tttaaiill" she hummed, stopping completely. She felt him lightly touch the 'lamp' on her tail, then felt his hand skimming along her tail, up her back, along her side, and finally across her arm. It stopped beside Mare's head. The girl stirred slightly but remained quiet, already conscious of what was happening.  
  
Even in the dark, Zeke knew Beacon was smiling. Then they continued to the cave where he and Mare had spent the past week. By this point, all were certain that something risky was in store. 


	5. Together Once More

1 This is my short calm before the storm. Don't expect anything happy in the next chapter. Read, review, enjoy. Mmmm, 3 Musketeers minis…  
  
2  
  
3 Together Once More  
  
"Are you absolutely sure of this!?" Zeke whispered anxiously.  
  
"Iitt'sss ttthe ooonnnllyyy wwwaayy" the Ampharos replied. He was holding five of his six Pokéballs in his hands, since Fluff was already out beside him. In his mind he repeated their nicknames, the ones he had carefully chosen for each of them. Each had lived up to their names. One by one he listed the names of his best Pokémon friends: Fluff, Cinders, Arrow, Gravel, Dandy, and Wraith. Flaaffy, Quilava, Pidgeot, Graveller, Jumpluff, and Poliwhirl.  
  
"I don't think my Pokémon are strong enough for this," he muttered.  
  
"Zeke," Mare said, her voice soft but firm. He looked over at her, riding atop her Ampharos. She was Mêlée once more. "All you really have to do is make a distraction so that I can call out my friends. After that we get out of there." Her smile was strangely reassuring.  
  
"On my signal," she murmured, bending low on her Pokémon's back. Zeke readied to throw his Pokéballs, and Fluff crouched down, ready to spring.  
  
"NOW!!!" she shouted, and Beacon blasted forward. Zeke was astounded by the speed of the gigantic Pokémon. Then he threw his Pokéballs.  
  
"GO, Fluff! Dandy! Gravel! Arrow! Cinders! Wraith!" he shouted, tossing the balls into the cave. All was pandemonium, but Mêlée's voice still rang clearly through.  
  
"WHISPER!! GROWLIE!! QUAGMIRE!! MEGA!! TYRANT!!" she shouted, her voice almost maniacal. Five Pokéballs opened unbidden from the waists of five black-clad figures in the room. Just behind Beacon there now stood five incredible Pokémon. "Okay, guys, let's move!!" she yelled, and Beacon charged toward the tunnel where Zeke stood waiting, having returned his Pokémon.  
  
"Zeke, move over!" she shouted, and he side-stepped just before the Ampharos would have trampled him. Mêlée reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him up behind her as she and her small army of Pokémon retreated to the darkness of the cave passages.  
  
The jewels on Beacon's head and tail were now glowing brilliant red, casting an eerie light through the passage. Mêlée looked back and saw her faithful companions easily keeping pace with her first friend.  
  
"Tttheeerrre!" Mega shouted. Up ahead was the exit. Not to mention a band of black clad soldiers waiting for them.  
  
"Well, let's get ready. Mega, Vine Whip! Beacon, Spark! Growlie, Flame Wheel! Tyrant, Earthquake! Quagmire, Water Gun! Whisper, Psywave!" she shouted, the maniac happiness still evident in her tone. As they reached the end of the tunnel each of the Pokémon released their various attacks, far stronger than normal. The figures had to jump and roll out of the way to avoid being hit by attacks and charging bodies. The group ran on, never looking back. 


	6. Family Reunion

1 Well, somewhere in here is my weak little attempt at humor. See if you can find it. The girl gets very cocky when she's ticked off. Well, back to my typing. Let's see, I wonder if there's any ice cream in the freezer…?  
  
2  
  
3 Family Reunion  
  
Ice-cold rain pelted them all as they ran from the safety of the caves. Zeke was now clinging tightly to Mêlée's waist to keep from slipping off. Unfortunately, they ran into a dead end.  
  
"SHOOT!!" Mêlée shouted angrily. She and Beacon turned their heads to look at the other Pokémon. Whisper was still coming on fast. "That's it! Beacon, get ready for Sky Spy!" The Ampharos lowered her head to the ground, and the charging Espeon ran right onto it. With one movement, the Ampharos flung her head back up and sent the Espeon flying straight up into the air.  
  
From the high vantage point, Whisper could see everything. A pale violet barrier surrounded her, protecting her from the rain. It also kept her aloft until she was ready to report to Mêlée. She slowly scanned the area from left to right. On the left side was a way past the dead end…but it led straight to a ravine. On the right was another way past the blockade…and it led straight out of the mountains!  
  
"Espe!" she yelled, curling her body and extending her right front paw in the direction of safety. As the bubble enveloping her popped, she saw a militia of black-clad soldiers approaching from that direction, illuminated by the flash of lightning. Then she fell.  
  
Beacon positioned herself beneath the falling Espeon and Mêlée extended her arms to catch the Pokémon. The creature fell neatly into her arms, still pointing to the right.  
  
"Anything else?" she asked.  
  
"Espe, esp," Whisper replied.  
  
"Oh, shoot," Mêlée whispered. "We'll just have to take care of them, too. LET'S MOVE!!" she shouted, and all of her friends began to run toward the right side of the cliff.  
  
"What's the matter?" Zeke yelled over the sound of crashing thunder.  
  
"They are trying to head us off," she shouted.  
  
"Espe," Whisper said from atop Beacon's head. The Ampharos turned suddenly, moving across another stone trail, this one rugged and unworn. The Pokémon were strangely sure-footed on the uneven turf, running across it as though it were a paved street.  
  
As they came across a steep incline and began to slide to the bottom they saw Them. Dozens of black figures, each with a red R on the front of their shirts. The only two without the R were the man and woman standing at the head of the group.  
  
"Stop," Mêlée called to her Pokémon. As they reached the bottom of the hill, the whole party halted.  
  
"Why…!?" Zeke started, but Mêlée shushed him instantly.  
  
"Well, Mêlée, I see we have finally caught you. You and your Pokémon," the woman said, her voice silky and dangerous. Mêlée's eyes narrowed.  
  
"Come now, you know torture is better than running away," the man said his voice cold and hard. Mêlée's eyes narrowed even further.  
  
They want me to give up she said to herself as she closed her eyes. I must admit, that seems like a good choice right about now. No, I must NOT show weakness! She shook her head from side to side, the hammering washing away any thoughts of surrender.  
  
"You should know me better than that," she said to them. "After all, you are my parents."  
  
Zeke glanced from her to the man and woman confronting them. His jaw was slack at the ridiculousness of the comment. The woman had pale blonde hair and the same teal eyes that Mare had, but she was far too cold. The man possessed the same raven black hair, but the cruel black eyes were far too distant. Mare did look a bit like the two of them, but she wasn't bloodthirsty like they were. And why in the world would any parents want to destroy their own daughter!?  
  
"I must admit, we were surprised when we heard that you and that Ampharos of yours were wreaking havoc among the members searching the caves. We never thought you would get the rest of those accursed Pokémon back," her father said.  
  
"Oh, I'm so proud of you, Dad!" she said, sarcasm dripping from every word like the water that dripped from her deep black hair. "You just used the six biggest words in your vocabulary in two sentences!" She had always wanted to say that to her father, the one who had taken her Pokémon friends from her in the first place.  
  
Both her mother and her father scowled. "Mêlée, get off that demonic Ampharos right now," her mother ordered.  
  
"Oh, was that an insult to my Ampharos?" Mêlée asked innocently. "I think you deserve a spanking for having such a dirty mouth. Mega, Vine Whip!" she shouted. The Bayleef leapt forward, braced its legs on the rocks, then released two brown-green vines. The man and woman both released a Pokémon: a Houndoom and a Vileplume.  
  
"Oh shoot," Mêlée whispered. Before her parents could give commands, though, the vines from her Bayleef were whipping them, never wrapping around the arms protecting their faces.  
  
"Okay, Mega, keep it up!" she shouted encouragingly. The tired feeling sweeping over her was starting to dull her mind. She shook her head again, letting the throbbing clear her senses. "Quagmire, Hydro Pump the Houndoom! Growlie, give the Vileplume a Fire Blast!" Both Pokémon rushed forward and released the most powerful attacks their elements possessed. Their two adversaries were knocked out immediately.  
  
"Okay, now let's clear an escape path! Whisper, use Psywave! Beacon, give them a battering ram!" Mêlée shouted, excitement racing through her eyes. Whisper did a back flip off Beacon's head, landing neatly in front of her trainer. The Pokémon's midnight eyes changed to sky blue as the jewel on her forehead brightened. All the Rockets in front of them covered their ears, as though they were listening to some terrible sound.  
  
Beacon lowered her head, and Mêlée felt her Pokémon's spinal vertebrae lock with the vertebrae of the neck. Then the Pokémon charged forward, a living battering ram. The Ampharos cleared a way for the rest of their friends while Whisper kept up the Psywave. They broke out of the crowd and continued, now home free. Or, so they thought. 


	7. Critical Success

1 Okay, no humor here. Read and review, and, please, no flames. Ummm…Pokémon does not belong to me. What else can I say? Hey, is that white rice…!?  
  
2  
  
3 Critical Success  
  
Behind them, Mêlée heard her father shout, "Go, UMBREON!"  
  
"Blast it!" she shouted. "Everybody, let's pick up the pace!" Her Pokémon friends caught up with Beacon, who had raised her head again to keep from toppling over. Mêlée looked back and saw the shadow following them, faster than even Growlie could run.  
  
"You don't know how much I'd love to cuss right about now," she muttered. She looked into the rain falling all around them, and a plan came to mind. "It's risky, but it's the only way to stop the thing." She deliberated for one more second, but her mind was already made up.  
  
"Zeke," she said firmly, turning her attention back to the path. He looked at her, still holding tight to her waist. Something in her voice had caught him. Was it desperation? Or was it sadness?  
  
"Mare?" he asked. Her head snapped up when he said her name, then she sighed. What she was about to do would hurt her as much as it would hurt her newfound friend.  
  
"Call out Arrow," she said. Before he could ask why, as she knew he would, Mêlée said, "It's the only way to stop the blasted Umbreon." She could almost feel his eyes watching her, startled and confused. "Now, Zeke," she said softly. Even he knew it was a command, not a suggestion.  
  
Zeke nodded, and hesitantly took Arrow's Pokéball from his waist. "Arrow, go!" he yelled, tossing the ball into the air. His Pidgeot emerged and coasted down beside Beacon. He jumped aboard the flying Pokémon and it flapped up into the air. Even in the rain it was a powerful flier, at least until the rain soaked the feathers of its wings. He continued watching Mare, sure that she was about to do something reckless…and harmful on her behalf.  
  
"Beacon, Thunder!" she shouted. The Pokémon turned her head and looked at her trainer. The girl's tone had been firm, but her face was frightened. "I know you don't want to hurt me, but I'll be hurt even more if that Umbreon gets here." The Ampharos glanced at the shadow that was rapidly gaining ground on them. "Do it," Mare whispered.  
  
Tongues of electricity began to form around the jewels on Beacon's head and tail. Whisper looked sadly at her trainer, then jumped off the Pokémon's back. The Ampharos turned quickly and stopped running. The shadow was just about to jump when Beacon released the Thunder. Mare screamed in agony as the electricity enveloped her and the Umbreon pursuing them.  
  
"MARE!!" Zeke shouted, horrified. The attack ended, and Beacon turned, beginning to run again. Mare was slumped unconscious across her Pokémon's back.  
  
Mega slowed his pace for a few seconds until he was running beside the Ampharos's passenger. Carefully, he extended his vines, gently securing his trainer onto her ride. She's so reckless…and so brave, he said to himself. I wish I could evolve for her. She never asked me to try, but I always wished I could. Just for her…only for her…my brave, courageous, reckless, maniacal, gentle, frail, fair trainer.  
  
Growlie looked back again. There was no one following. She was leading everyone through the rugged terrain, Whisper sending her an aerial map as they ran. She knew that something was seriously wrong with her trainer, not just that she was unconscious. She was sick, terribly sick. She quickened her pace again, urging the other Pokémon to keep moving.  
  
Of all things, Beacon hadn't wanted to use the Thunder. As one of the strongest electric attacks, it had the potential to knock a human out in one hit. With Mare in the condition she was in, it was even more hazardous. The girl's normally delicate health was always a concern of her Pokémon, especially Beacon's. Beacon had been Mare's first Pokémon, taken as a Mareep and raised with tender loving care. That was why Team Rocket had separated them: the Pokémon were being raised with affection.  
  
Quagmire looked back at his trainer. She was pale, paler than normal. He wanted to help her somehow, but he could not. Not at the moment. He had been her third Pokémon, so he had a strong bond with her. If only there was something I could do now… he thought, then he looked back at the rugged path, trying with all his might not to look back at Mare.  
  
Tyrant kept his eyes focused on the trail. He couldn't look back at Mare. Not with her in such pain. He had been her fourth friend, and also one of her favorites. Not that all of them weren't her favorites. She just seemed to have a soft spot for him. He kept running, staying right behind Growlie. He could see that the Growlithe was frightened and anxious. Almost as much as he was.  
  
Whisper was running at Beacon's side, watching her trainer. She had been Mare's second Pokémon, and the girl loved her even with her disability. Because of this affection, Whisper had kept a special watch out for her master at all times. Even in her Pokéball, she could watch her trainer. That was how she knew Mare had left Team Rocket, and she had told Beacon, and Growlie, and Quagmire, and Tyrant, and Mega. Now there was more to be worried about than normal. With Mare in such a vulnerable state the Rockets might plan a second attack.  
  
Zeke was soaking wet and very anxious. Even when Fluff had attacked her in the cave, it was only with a weak shock. And she hadn't been drenched then. This time she had been hit with one of the most powerful electric attacks in the books, not to mention that she had been soaking wet and her Ampharos was stronger than average.  
  
Now each had only their hope to guide them. 


	8. Aerial Escape

1 Please forgive me, but I can't help it. My mind is twisted and evil, and that's the only reason I write dismal stuff like this. Well, same basic rules apply. Pokémon isn't mine. Well, I guess that's about it. Enjoy! Ahh, fresh bread…  
  
2  
  
3 Aerial Escape  
  
We're almost out of the mountains Whisper called up to Zeke. He was startled when she spoke. Her speech was perfect.  
  
I am a psychic type. Enhanced learning comes easily to our type she explained.  
  
"Okay, Arrow, take me up," he said to his Pidgeot. The flying Pokémon flapped hard, rain soaked wings beginning to take their toll on its flying abilities. As they reached the bellies of the clouds a flash of lightning bathed the rocks in an eerie light. He could see the end of the mountains! But he could also see the dozens of black-clad figures waiting for them.  
  
Arrow coasted back down to the group, and Whisper glanced up at them. "There are Rockets waiting for us at the end!" he shouted, his voice barely audible over the immense crash of thunder.  
  
I knew they would be, Whisper said to herself. All right, everyone, let's take a break! she called to the rest of the Pokémon. They slowed their pace and finally stopped just before turning around a large cliff.  
  
Arrow landed on the rocks beside Whisper, and Zeke jumped off the creature. Growlie slowly approached the Pidgeot and released a small burst of flames at the Pokémon's wings. The water trapped by the Pidgeot's feathers was turned into steam by the heat of the fire.  
  
"Thanks Growlie," Zeke said, returning his Pokémon to its ball. Then he turned toward Beacon…and Mare. Mega was still steadying her against Beacon, but as the boy approached he withdrew his vines. Mare began to slip, but Zeke caught her, lowering her gently to the ground. Whisper padded up in front of them, and he took his first good look at the Pokémon.  
  
The Pokémon's midnight eyes sparkled, reflecting her trainer at a better time. The jewel in the center of her forehead was ruby red, specked with gold and silver. While most of the fur of her coat was pale lavender, the tines of her tail were deep violet. The thing that caught his full attention were her legs: she only had three. Her left front paw was missing. Whisper sighed when she caught him staring at the place where her non-existent paw was.  
  
"Birth defect," she assured him. Zeke looked back at the Espeon's face, but his eyes kept flickering to the place where her leg should have been. "All right, are you going to spend the day gaping at something that has not, is not, and never will be, or are you going to listen to this plan?"  
  
Zeke looked down at the girl he held in his arms. She was shivering from cold, her skin deathly pale. She seemed to have slipped from unconsciousness into sleep, her breathing deep and even.  
  
"I will take your silence as a yes," Whisper said, responding for him. The gold and silver sparkles in the Espeon's jewel began to whirl, then seemed to come out of the gem. They spiraled in the air, spinning faster and faster and creating an image of Arrow above her head.  
  
"Now, Arrow is larger than a normal Pidgeot by a fair margin. This could be because of good training, or it could be from the fact that it was an abnormally large Pidgey. For your sake, I will think with the first choice. Since Growlie dried it's wings out, it can fly high into the clouds. There will not be any rain there, and the Rockets will never notice us," Whisper explained.  
  
"What about the rest of the Pokémon?" Zeke asked. He saw a movement out of the corner of his eye, and turned to see Beacon's head beside his own. She was toying with something in her mouth. Then she spit it out. Lying on the ground was a Pokéball in its smallest possible form. It had a sticker on the top, one with a rainbow ball on it. He carefully reached out and enlarged it. Beacon bent down until her nose was touching the returning mechanism of the ball. She was instantly converted into red energy and absorbed by the ball.  
  
"That's what we can do," the Espeon told him. "Mare always told us that, if worse came to worse, that we should keep our balls. She had a feeling that one day we would get taken by Team Rocket. Now I think we all understand why she told us to do that." As she said this she looked over at the other Pokémon. "They will all return to their Pokéballs, and I will stay out and travel with Mare."  
  
"Is that fair?" Zeke asked as the other Pokémon deposited their balls before him.  
  
"I am the only psychic type, the only one who can protect Arrow from the rain," Whisper explained. "I can keep Arrow's wings dry so that we can escape."  
  
"Oh, I see," he said as he enlarged each of the balls in turn. Each of the creatures willingly returned to the spheres. As the last ball absorbed Growlie, Zeke minimized each, carefully slipping them one by one into the pocket of Mare's jeans. Then he called out Arrow.  
  
The Pokémon looked down angrily at its trainer. As Zeke began to stand up, Arrow ruffled its feathers and screeched at him, wings extended in a threatening pose.  
  
"What's wrong with Arrow!?" he asked Whisper nervously.  
  
"It doesn't trust you," Whisper said sadly. "You never thanked it for carrying you through this storm, even though it was so hard to make it even this far."  
  
"Arrow should know I appreciate everything it does for me!" Zeke exclaimed. He looked at his Pidgeot, the Pokémon that threatened to soar away at any moment. "Arrow, you know I didn't mean to ignore you," he said quietly. "It's just that I was so worried about Mare. Even you saw what happened to her. She needs help, and you're the only one who can take her to safety." Even his eyes pleaded with Arrow. It continued to hiss at them, although the sound faded slightly. "Please, Arrow. We really need your help."  
  
Arrow withdrew its wings, but still glared at them. It looked from the tripod Espeon to its trainer, to the unmoving girl in its master's arms. The Pokémon's eyes lingered there. She was trembling from cold and pain. Arrow had seen had seen what happened to her, and it could easily see that her condition was nearing critical. It could not refuse to help her.  
  
The Pidgeot lowered its head in a friendly gesture, and Zeke stood up with Mare. As he carefully lifted the girl onto his Pokémon's back Whisper jumped to the Pidgeot's head. Zeke leapt lightly aboard the flying type as Whisper created a pale violet shield over them all. Arrow flapped once, twice , three times, gaining about five feet of altitude. That was enough, and in under a minute they were soaring high above the clouds. 


	9. Drastic Measures

1 Hello, once again, to Mêlée! Yes, this is by far one of my favorite chapters (not to mention the favorite of quite a few of my friends…). I hope you enjoy it as much as they do, and if you don't, well, LIVE WITH IT!!! *ahem* Anyway, please give me your reviews. I promise that I'll read them and make this better (hopefully *sweatdrops*). Anyway, let's get this show on the road! Oohh, hot tea with sugar, how I love it…  
  
2  
  
3 Drastic Measures  
  
"Now, we will have smooth sailing as long as her brothers are not following us or waiting for us up ahead," Whisper said as they glided along the tops of the deep violet clouds.  
  
"Her BROTHERS!?!" Zeke shouted. Whisper turned and hissed at him, silencing any other shouts.  
  
"Yes, her brothers. Both specialize with flying types, and each has a patron Pokémon. Josh, short for Joshua, trains the two common diurnal birds, Pidgey and Spearow. He loves to ride Fearless, the evolution of his first Spearow. Tony is an expert with the nocturnal fliers, Hoot-hoot and Zubat. His ride is Owl, the evolved form of his first Hoot-hoot. They train their Pokémon to attack mercilessly, and their aerial tactics are deadly for other fliers," Whisper explained, her voice gaining a touch of desperation.  
  
"Now we're in for it," he said as the clouds before them exploded upward, parting to reveal a formidable Noctowl.  
  
"You can say that again," the Espeon murmured, looking behind them. A Fearow and its rider were quickly gaining on them.  
  
"So, what have we got here?" Tony asked, lounging against his Noctowl's back. "A little birdie with some weight on it."  
  
"Don't worry," Josh said from behind them. "We'd be glad to lighten your load for you."  
  
"Buzz off!" Zeke yelled as he held Mare a bit tighter. He glared at the two boys in turn. They were obviously twins, each having pale blonde hair and malevolent black eyes. The only difference was in their voices. Where Tony's was smooth and dangerous, Joshua's was rough and threatening.  
  
Mare's eyes fluttered open. She felt two arms holding her tight, as though protecting her. It felt familiar, like what her brother had always done when their parents got into a shouting contest. She looked up and saw Zeke. He hadn't noticed she was awake yet; he was too busy glaring over his shoulder. She looked forward and saw a Noctowl carrying a single passenger: a boy with pale blonde hair and deep ebony eyes.  
  
TONY!?! she exclaimed in her mind. Carefully moving her hands, she sent a quick signal to the boy in front of her: Tony?  
  
The boy raised his own hands and signaled swiftly back: Mare? She and Tony had a special gesture system for unnoticed conversations. It had to be him.  
  
Mare moved suddenly away from Zeke, which only caused her chest to burn with pain. She cried out, one hand over her heart, her breath coming short gasps.  
  
"Mare!" Zeke shouted, looking back at her. Then he looked up at Tony. The boy's jaw was set, but his eyes were concerned, more concerned than Zeke felt.  
  
"I'm okay," Mare murmured, straightening slightly. Both hands moved forward, quickly signaling, what's going on?  
  
You're hurt Tony signaled back. This boy is trying to help you. Mom and Dad sent us to…she saw him swallow, then hastily form the words, kill you. She noticed him shudder as he signed it. Then she heard another sound, a rustling of wings behind them. She looked quickly over Zeke's shoulder and saw Joshua and his Fearow lunging for them. Zeke had noticed, too.  
  
"Arrow, left!" he shouted, and the Pidgeot lowered its left wing. They wheeled left just before the Fearow made contact.  
  
Mare was watching Tony with rapt attention. He didn't want to hurt her, she could see it in his eyes and hear it in his signals. And he always did say I was his favorite sister, and best friend. He may be four years older than me, but he was my best friend, too. I think it's time to put that friendship to the test. She stood up on Arrow's back, using what Tony had taught her about aerial trick riding to stay on board.  
  
"Well, whoever wants me, come and get me!" she exclaimed, and with that she bent her knees, and then she back flipped off the Pidgeot.  
  
"MARE!!" Zeke and Tony both shouted. Before Zeke could even tell his Pokémon to dive, Tony's Noctowl was plummeting toward the falling black form. Mare was looking up at him with a look of such trust that he just had to save her from death.  
  
A movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Joshua and Zeke were both free-falling toward Mare.  
  
Zeke was about to shout at Joshua when he heard another boy shout, "Leave Mare alone, you twerp!! Zoë, keep both of them from my sister!" A Golbat emerged directly in front of the daylight fliers, while the Noctowl kept plummeting.  
  
As Tony came up beside his younger sister, he saw that she was sitting cross-legged as she fell. He smiled slightly at the familiar sight. He and Owl passed her in their descent, and as he looked back up at her he saw that she was smiling at him.  
  
"Owl, pull up!" he exclaimed. The Pokémon pulled out of its dive, and Mare fell into her brother's arms. She smiled at him for a second longer, then held him close. The two hadn't seen each other for over a year, and it was so good to be back together.  
  
Again Mare felt exhaustion sweeping over her. She nestled closer to her brother and fell fast asleep in his loving embrace.  
  
"Just like old times, eh, sis?" he asked quietly. Zoë shot down into the clouds.  
  
Tony smirked as he looked up at the Pidgeot and Fearow above them. Joshua hadn't figured anything out yet, and he probably never would.  
  
"Come on, Owl, let's go grab that friend of hers and get out of here." His Pokémon had begun to climb higher into the sky when a Pidgeot dove toward them. As it neared them it pumped its wings hard to slow the descent. Tony carefully shielded Mare's head from the dust-laden wind the Pidgeot stirred up. As he looked back he saw Zeke glaring at him.  
  
Then he noticed Whisper. "Hey, Wispy!" he exclaimed, careful to keep his voice low, so as not to wake his sister. The Espeon shook her head in mock annoyance, then leapt from the Pidgeot to the Noctowl. As Tony scratched the Pokémon behind the ears he noticed Zeke staring at him in astonishment. Then he looked up and saw Joshua preparing to dive-bomb them.  
  
"Okay, kid, I think this is a good time to leave," Tony said, turning his Noctowl and rocketing off to the left, the way out of the mountains.  
  
"Where do you think you're going with Mare!?" Zeke shouted, bringing Arrow alongside.  
  
"Out of this death trap, that's for sure," Tony said as the two birds sped along the clouds.  
  
"Oh, so you're going to take her to ANOTHER torture chamber!?" Zeke shouted.  
  
"Would you shut your mouth for just FIVE STINKING MINUTES!?" Tony yelled at him.  
  
Zeke was instantly silent. Tony concentrated on two things; One: the direction they were flying. Two: the sound of powerful wing beats above them. The sounds above them stopped, and Tony smirked.  
  
"Joshua, Joshua, Joshua, you always fall into this trap," he muttered. Whisper looked up and saw the Fearow and rider bearing down on them. "Owl, back-beat in five…four…three…two…"  
  
"What are you planning?" Zeke asked worriedly.  
  
"One…NOW!!" Tony shouted, and his Noctowl began to pump its wings, propelling them backwards. Mere inches of air separated them from the steel trap of the Fearow's beak. "Great job! Now Zoë, Supersonic them!" he shouted to his Golbat, which had been flying just beneath the clouds. It burst forth and began to emit the powerful sound waves at the still free- falling Fearow. The Supersonic hit, then kept moving…straight for Zeke.  
  
"Oh, shoot!" Tony said to himself. Not even his Noctowl had the strength to move the Pidgeot out of the way, so that only left him one option. "Owl, grab that kid!" he shouted to his Pokémon. The Noctowl flapped hard, sending them speeding toward the Pidgeot and its rider. Owl flew just above Zeke, grabbing the boy's shoulders in its talons.  
  
"What the…!?" Zeke exclaimed as he was lifted off his Pokémon. As he groped for Arrow's ball the Supersonic attack hit. The Pidgeot stopped flapping and began to fall toward the ground. At that moment Zeke found the Pokéball. "Arrow, return!" he shouted, and a beam of red light shot out of the ball and hit his Pokémon. The creature was instantly converted into red energy, which was promptly absorbed by the ball.  
  
"That was close," Tony said as his Noctowl hovered above the clouds. He carefully leaned over the side of his Pokémon, extending his hand. Zeke was staring at him in shock and anger.  
  
"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU TRYING TO DO!? KILL ME!?!" Zeke shouted, ignoring the outstretched hand.  
  
"No, I was trying to keep you from getting killed," Tony replied calmly, grabbing the other boy by the back of his shirt and dragging him aboard the Noctowl, seating him just behind the base of the Pokémon's wings. "There is now one rule for riding this Noctowl. No shouting. Do I make myself clear?" He smiled at the boy behind him.  
  
"Crystal," Zeke muttered.  
  
"Great, we've reached an understanding!" Tony exclaimed. "Okay, Owl, let's get moving out of these blasted mountains." They started moving again, skimming through the wisps of mist. "So, got any destination in mind?"  
  
"I think so," Zeke replied. "I'll tell you what to do, okay?" he asked. Tony nodded as they soared above the last of the mountain peaks thrusting through the purple haze.  
  
  
  
Okay, I promise that things won't slow down. Much. The next chapter is a bit slow, I'll admit, but then we get back to the problems I keep dishing out to these poor people. Well, ciao! 


	10. Persuasion

1 L-S: Ah, yes, this would be my slow chapter. I promise, things heat up soon…  
  
Zeke: If you call a week 'soon.'  
  
Tony: Hey, if you insult the author she can take you out, you know.  
  
Zeke: Eep!!  
  
Mare: Exactly. Well, read, review, enjoy.  
  
L-S: Thank you, Mare. Ohh, how I love hot chocolate with whipped cream… (Tony, Zeke, and Mare all have enormous sweatdrops on the backs of their heads)  
  
2  
  
3 Persuasion  
  
Arrow screeched as it landed on the ground outside the hospital. Zeke quickly dismounted and looked back up at the sky. The enormous Noctowl was flying in slow circles above his head, then flew gracefully into a nearby cloud. The pale lavender clouds covered the sky in a blanket of haze, and a light mist still fell from them.  
  
"Zeke? What are you doing back so soon?" a voice asked. He turned and saw a man standing at the door to the infirmary. He had smiling blue eyes and dark brown hair, far darker than Zeke's hair. He was wearing a white coat, khaki pants, and black work shoes.  
  
"Hi, Dad," Zeke said, waving hello.  
  
"It's good to see you, Zeke," his father said, moving forward. "But I still want an answer to my question: What are you doing back so soon?"  
  
"Well…" Zeke hesitated, wondering how he was supposed to explain this to his father. "I was in the mountains trying to find some shelter from the storm when I saw this girl hanging from a cliff. She lost her grip and fell onto a ledge almost halfway down this canyon. Arrow and I picked her up and took care of her for about a week, but she came down with the flu. I brought her to you because you know what to do about that kind of thing."  
  
"Okay, I understood about half of that. You say there's a girl with the flu that you've been trying to take care of. She has the flu and so you decided to bring her to me. If that's true, where is she?" his father asked, confused.  
  
"Dad, you have to promise me not to freak out, okay?" Zeke asked, almost pleading.  
  
"Of course, son. Why would I freak out?" his father asked. Zeke sighed, then raised one hand in the air. Arrow screeched again, a sound that split the silence of the area.  
  
"Okay, Mare, that would be Zeke's signal. I hope this works," Tony murmured as he lightly touched Owl at the base of its wings. He knew Mare could not hear him, but it felt good to know there was someone to talk to. The Noctowl began to spiral down through the violet clouds, never once flapping its wings. As it neared the ground Tony lifted Mare into his arms and stood on his Pokémon's back. Mare's raven hair fluttered slightly in the wind.  
  
When Owl came within three feet of the ground Tony leapt lightly to the ground. The slight click of his boots against the stone walkway could have been heard in Kanto.  
  
"A Team Rocket member!?" Zeke's father shouted. Tony's black eyes narrowed slightly in annoyance and mistrust. "You expect me to help a Rocket? I'm a doctor, not a veterinarian."  
  
"Hey, my sister isn't an animal!" Tony yelled. "She's hurt, and she needs help!" His eyes were narrowed to mere slits, and his jaw was set.  
  
Mare groaned slightly, and he looked down. Any anger toward Zeke's father dissolved as he looked down at the girl. Mare weakly reached up and wrapped her arms around her brother's neck.  
  
Zeke looked back at his father. "She needs help. They aren't Team Rocket members anymore. Both of them defected."  
  
"How do you know that they won't turn on you?" his father asked, trying to talk some reason into his father.  
  
"Mare was already on the run from Team Rocket when I found her. They're out to kill her. Tony wouldn't have saved me if he was trying to kill her, would he?" Zeke asked, trying to explain his point to his father.  
  
"How do you know this isn't some plot to kill YOU?" the man asked. "You told me how much Team Rocket hates you, since you've beaten them so many times."  
  
"Dad, Mare saved me from Team Rocket!" Zeke exclaimed. "Why would she want to hurt me!?"  
  
"Zeke, no," his father said firmly.  
  
"Leave it, Zeke," Tony murmured. Zeke spun on him.  
  
"What do you mean!? Are you saying we came all the way here for nothing!?" Zeke shouted.  
  
"There's no way your father's going to agree to help Mare. I won't use force to make him. If he doesn't want to, that's his choice," Tony said, his voice still smooth but now laced with sadness. He turned back to Owl, and the Pokémon bent down to allow him to board. Tony sighed as he prepared to jump onto his Noctowl.  
  
"I don't know why I'm doing this," Zeke's father said. "I will take care of Mare." Tony turned, staring at the doctor in disbelief. Then he smiled, a bright smile that made the sun look like a dim light bulb. Tony followed the doctor, and Zeke followed the former Rocket, and together all three walked into the hospital.  
  
Well, this is turning out to look quite familiar. Let's see…one older guy, a girl and a guy who're right around the same age. The main character slot has the girl in it, but it still looks a lot like Ash, Misty, and Brock. I'm not too fond of the TV show. Of course, you people probably like it, so I'm leaving the choice up to you.  
  
Do you want me to add somebody else to this happy little team, or do you want to leave it as it is?  
  
If you want me to add somebody, should it be a boy or a girl?  
  
Okay, might as well tell ya this now. Mare has two sisters. Also twins. Josie and Claire. I can make those two like Tony and Joshua, one nice, the other out to kill Mare. What do you want?  
  
If you do want it like that, which sister? Josie trains pure grass types and Claire trains double element grass types.  
  
Well, I think that's it. Bye now!  
  
~Lightning-Strike~ 


	11. Back to Normal?

Okay, so the beginning is a bit slow. I promise, it heats up a bit later. And, sorry to say it, but I can't do humor. You'll have to find some other fic if you're looking for something humorous. Well, I'm just going to grab me some Valentines chocolates and be on my way to the end of this fic. See ya there!  
  
Back to Normal?  
  
"Now where am I?" Mare murmured as she came out of her sleep once more. A while ago, maybe minutes ago, she had felt the wind on her face. Or was it years ago?  
  
"You're in a hospital," a soft voice replied. She didn't have to open her eyes to know it was Tony.  
  
"Why?" she asked, her usual curious self again.  
  
"Multiple reasons," her brother replied, standing and walking over to her. "One, you have a bad case of the flu. Two, I guess when you ran off you had some problems. They say there's a couple of cracked ribs, but that's about it."  
  
"Lucky me," she said. For some reason she felt strangely tired.  
  
"Get some more sleep, Mare," Tony said softly, stroking her hair. "You'll feel better later on."  
  
"Where's Whisper?" she asked, already half asleep again. Mare felt a slight tickling under her chin, and knew that the Espeon was sleeping on her pillow, curled against her head. "Never mind," she whispered, and fell asleep once more.  
  
Tony sighed and shook his head. Well, if anybody could survive that, it would be her. She's a bit sickly, but she's tough.  
  
"How's she doing?" Zeke asked, poking his head into the room. He had visited almost twice a second since they had brought Mare to his father.  
  
"She's doing fine," Tony replied, looking up at the brown-haired boy. "She just came to for a few seconds."  
  
"And I missed it!?" Zeke shouted. Both Whisper and Tony shushed him immediately. "You people really like to keep me quiet, don't you? Mêlée did it once, Beacon did it once, Whisper's done it twice now, and you've done it almost thirty times in past week."  
  
"Well, you really have to be quiet around here. It is a hospital, after all," Tony said. Zeke just sighed and left. Tony watched the door for one more minute, then sat down at the edge of Mare's bed. He carefully stroked some stray locks back into her mane.  
  
Suddenly he heard someone running down the hall, no, two people. Zeke and his father bolted into the room, slamming the door shut behind them.  
  
"What...!?" Tony started to ask, but Zeke's father cut him off.  
  
"Team Rocket is here," the man said.  
  
"How many, and who?" Tony asked quickly.  
  
"Three people, one boy who looks just like you and twin girls," Zeke's father said, panting.  
  
"Joshua, Claire, and Josie," Tony muttered. The two other people just stared at him. "Joshua is my twin brother, trains Pidgey and Spearow. Claire and Josie are twins as well, but they're thirteen and excel with grass types. Claire likes dual grass Pokémon, meaning they have a second element, and Josie goes for pure grass Pokémon."  
  
"Oh, they're here, are they?" Mare asked, sitting up in bed. Tony looked over at her, but did not force her down. "Well, we know one thing at least: Joshua isn't much of a threat to us here. With his well-trained enormous birds and his poorly trained basics, we should have no trouble with him. Claire and Josie might pose problems, but Cinders should easily wipe them out."  
  
"That would be a great idea, but Cinders and the rest of my Pokémon are at my house," Zeke explained nervously.  
  
"Oh, that was smart," Tony muttered. "Now how are we supposed to beat them!?"  
  
"Flying types have an advantage over grass types, and they shouldn't have too much trouble with Joshua's weakling pigeons," Zeke said.  
  
"That would be a great idea, but SOMEBODY insisted on taking my Pokémon," Tony said accusingly, glaring at Zeke's father. The man cringed, then all the talking stopped. The sound of boots clicking their way down the hall was reverberating through the room. Mare swung her feet off the edge of the bed and closed her eyes.  
  
Tony moved closer to her and put his arm across her shoulders. Not for anything would he let them kill his favorite little sister.  
  
Mare's hand moved hesitantly to the pocket of her jeans. As she slowly slipped her hand in the footsteps stopped.  
  
"Shit," Zeke said. The people had stopped right at their door. The doorknob rattled slightly as the three tried to enter, but Zeke and his father were barricading the door with their own weight.  
  
"Now what?" Tony asked desperately. In her pocket, Mare's hand clenched around six tiny balls. She smiled maliciously and stood up.  
  
"Move out, Zeke," she said. He looked up at her. The look in her eyes was one that said she expected no trouble from the people waiting for them. Zeke stood slowly and walked away from the door. Zeke's father, startled and confused, followed suit. Suddenly the door came crashing in. It landed with a dull thump at Mêlée's feet.  
  
"I was wondering when you three would get here," she said snidely. Three black-clad figures walked into the room.  
  
"I suppose you already know what we're here for," Claire said, looking around. Tony was glaring at them.  
  
"Oh, so the little flower's going to stand up to us, is she?" Josie asked cruelly. Tony's eyes narrowed, but Mêlée grinned.  
  
"Yes, and the `little flower's' going to whip you all! Go, Mega!" she shouted, pulling her hand out of her pocket, enlarging the Pokéball in her hand, and throwing it, all in a single fluid motion. The Bayleef emerged before his trainer, ready to battle and win.  
  
"Fine, then. Go, Tangles!" Josie shouted, tossing one of her own Pokéballs. A Tangela emerged and released almost twenty vines at Mega.  
  
"Use Reflect to counter!" Mêlée shouted, and a copper-gold barrier formed around him, protecting him from the pale green vines. "Perfect, now Razor Leaf to cut them down to size!" Both Pokémon and trainer were wearing identical smirks of triumph. The leaf on Mega's head began to spin at incredible speed, releasing a flurry of razor-edged leaves. These fazed easily through the barrier, landing perfect hits on the Tangela opponent.  
  
"Tangles, return!" Josie called in disgust.  
  
"My turn," Claire shouted excitedly.  
  
Mêlée patiently awaited the next choice, when Whisper's voice ran through her head. Look outside! She quickly turned to the window, and saw the best thing that could ever have happened.  
  
"Okay, Mega, Body Slam!" she shouted. Their three attackers jumped out of the way to keep from being hit by the powerful Bayleef. Mêlée ran quickly after her Pokémon, looking quickly behind her. "Come on!" she shouted to her friends. Tony was at her side in seconds (after using his shoulder to slam Joshua into the wall), keeping pace with the fleet-footed Bayleef. Zeke and his father lagged behind a bit, but they were out of harm's way.  
  
Joshua, Claire, and Josie just stared after them for a moment. Then they all shouted at each other, "Are you just going to let them get away!?" They all started their pursuit.  
  
"By the way, where the heck are we headed!?" Zeke asked, panting slightly. Mega, Mêlée, and Tony were setting a furious pace!  
  
"The front door!" Mêlée replied excitedly. As Mega rounded a corner he let out a cry. As Tony and his sister followed they saw what Mega was telling them: the doors were just ahead.  
  
Mega slammed into the dual doors, bursting out into the frigid air beyond. Mêlée and Tony followed, Zeke and his father trailing behind.  
  
As Claire, Josie, and Joshua burst through the doors, they saw their targets standing before them. The five were easy prey, yet Claire knew it was impossible for their side to win this battle.  
  
So, what do you think makes Team Rocket on the losing side? I'm waiting for any reviews that might come my way, and I'd still love to know if you think one of the sisters should be nice like Tony.  
  
Oh, and if you want to E-mail me, I'd be glad to hear from you! My E-mail address is lightningbeacon@aol.com. Well, I hope to hear from you soon! Bye! 


End file.
